Betss review
Betss is the online site of Sporting Star, the racing bookmaker that opened its first shop in Colombo in 1956. It is licensed, it was not on either August block list, and it offers far more than racing. Here is what it offers and how it compares with Sportway.
What we liked
- Horse, harness and greyhound racing from many countries, with results
- Pay in and cash out at Sporting Star shops
- A casino and live tables from 19 studios
- Smallest deposit LKR 100
What to know
- We did not see Aviator itself
- No iPhone app
- No fishing games seen
Why this page exists
We earn a commission when a reader opens a Sportway account through our links, and nothing from Betss. We read betss.com on the date at the top of this page and describe what we found.
What it is
Betss runs at betss.com. Its own pages call Sporting Star "the company behind BETSS" and its parent company. Sporting Star started as a day racing shop on Maliban Street, Colombo, in 1956, opened its first live racing shop in 1987 and launched betss.com in 2020. It says it now has betting stations across the island.
Its terms say the site is run by Sports Entertainment Services, which holds a Sri Lankan gaming licence, number BLT1026. The site runs in English, Sinhala and Tamil.
What you can bet on
Racing is where Sporting Star began. Horse racing, harness racing and greyhounds, with races from the UK, Ireland, France, South Africa, Australia and the Americas. Sporting Star's own racing papers are on the home page.
Cricket comes first on the sports menu, then about twenty other sports, football among them, with in-play betting.
Virtual racing comes from Kiron, Trackside and SIS, and there is a football jackpot on a set of Premier League matches.
There is a casino. Slots, crash games, table games and live dealer tables, from 19 studios including Pragmatic Play, Evoplay, Spribe and Ezugi. We did not see Aviator itself among the crash games when we looked, though Spaceman and several others are there.
Money in and out
The smallest deposit is LKR 100. You can pay in by card through its payment gateway, by bank deposit, or in cash at any Sporting Star shop. Bank withdrawals take up to 48 hours, and a withdrawal at a shop is paid once it is confirmed. There is no withdrawal fee, though card deposits may carry the usual card charges. The smallest bet is LKR 30 a slip.
When we checked, Betss offered two first-deposit bonuses. For racing, 50% up to LKR 20,000, with a 5x wagering requirement. For football, 100% up to LKR 20,000, with a 9x wagering requirement at odds of 2 or more. Both need a deposit of at least LKR 500, last 14 days and do not apply to Pay & Go deposits. Neither showed an end date.
Results, app and help
Sporting Star results are on the Results page of betss.com: horse racing, harness racing and greyhounds, the virtual races, and the other sports.
The app is for Android only, as a direct download for Android 10 and later. Betss offers no iPhone app.
Help is by phone on +94 112 507 888, WhatsApp chat, email and a contact form, and the site says its support runs 24/7.
Betss or Sportway
| Betss |  Sportway | |
|---|---|---|
| Licence | BLT1026, in its terms | BLT1012, on every page |
| Cricket betting | Yes, cricket first on the menu | Yes, with its own cricket section |
| Racing | Horse, harness and greyhound racing from many countries | Yes, a horse racing section |
| Aviator | Not seen; other crash games instead | Yes, from Spribe, the studio that makes Aviator |
| Slots | Yes, from 19 studios across its casino | Yes, from 35 slot studios |
| Live casino | Yes, including Ezugi | Yes, from seven studios including Evolution and Ezugi |
| Fishing games | Not seen | Yes |
| Smallest deposit | LKR 100 | Not stated on its banking page |
| Paying in | Card, bank deposit, cash at a Sporting Star shop | iPay, LankaQR, People's Bank, Mastercard, bank transfer and an online gateway |
| App | Android only | On its Download page |
| Languages | English, Sinhala, Tamil | English, Sinhala, Tamil |
| Help | Phone, WhatsApp chat, email; says 24/7 | 24/7 live chat, phone, WhatsApp |
Sources
Our own reading of betss.com on 25 September 2026: its about page, terms, FAQ, promotions, games, racing and results pages. Sportway's details are from sportway.lk on the same day. For the other sites, see betting sites in Sri Lanka.
